Designer accessories for coworking spaces

Nope, you don’t need to get everything from IKEA. Great workspace design is key in coworking, from hubs to clubs and community. Designer accessories which are clever – yet practical – are also important. From New York to Berlin, Barcelona and Copenhagen, here are 10 products which might come in handy in your office or work lounge. Some are creative touches, others are practical additions. Some might even save you money – keep reading to see if you want to add these to your wish list.

Bonbon Lamps

For those coworking spaces which are a tad sterile, perhaps a handmade lantern might warm up the fluorescent lights and IKEA desks. Ana Kraš, a Serbian artist based in New York, has created a delightful series of lamps called Bonbons. These multi-colored, dyed-cotton string lamps soften the coldest of any rooms. Made by looping threads onto wire frames, you can see the bulb peeking through the strands, casting abstract shadows onto walls. This series is handmade and one of a kind by Kraš, and is referred to as a “family of lanterns.” They have a fantastic, retro Japanese vibe to them.

Dopper Water Bottles

If the recycle bin at your workspace is filled to the rim with water bottles, Dopper has a solution. They promote filtered tap water (over bottled water). They started their own dishwasher-safe water bottle design that will never hit the trash can. Dopper is on a mission to put an end to 'plastic soup' as they call our oceans, which have a billion kilos of water bottle plastic. Buy one of their plastic water bottles and a portion of the proceeds will go to support drinking water projects in Nepal. Bonus: The Dopper app helps you find a free tap location anywhere you are in the world. "Keep asking for drinking water, this will increase the number of tap locations," they write.

App my Box

This February in Frankfurt, the Ambiente housewares fair sparked some buzz when Rotho, a storage box company, premiered the world’s first app box. Each plastic box (made in Switzerland) has its own individual QR code. The app boxes help keep track of storage directly from your smartphone. You can download the free app on your smartphone, give the box a name and enter the contents with all the deets. Best part: If you’d rather keep your box contents private in a coworking space, you now have an alternative.

Kaweco Pens

If you’re going to pull out any pens in the office, you might as well write to impress (when you’re not at your laptop). If you ever need to write a thank you card, start with Kaweco pens, an old school, 130-year-old German pen company which treats writing instruments like diamonds – very preciously. Known for their top quality writing instruments, the DIA2 series is a perfect example of a classic design which hails back to the 1940s. Black glossy pens with brass clips, metal fittings and chrome plating will dress up any desk. You can pick up Kaweco pens at Colekt, a concept shop and gallery in Frankfurt. Just don’t lend this pen out to your fellow coworkers. You might never get it back.

Iris Lunch Bag

Coworking has its pitfalls – it’s easy to rush off to lunch with the group, when you could be bringing in a packed lunch and saving your money. Motivate yourself by gifting yourself and others the Twin Bag Orange by IRIS from Barcelona. Insulated and lined with zippers to keep food fresh and crispy, it has two carry options so you can swing it over the shoulder on a bike or tuck it into a backpack. It comes with plastic containers and cutlery.

Sigel Magnet Board

The Artverum glass magnet board from Sigel is a practical addition to any coworking space. The board, which comes in various sizes, is magnetic. Post flyers, calendars and scrawl reminders, as can write and wipe on these boards. The boards come in seven colors, from black to white and turquoise. Great for group meetings, Artverum also sells a white satin sheet for the larger boards, so presentations can be projected onto the screen. You might want to show movies, too.